Overrated ski areas

[Telemarketeer]

I think one can claim the snow quantities at Baker are unreal.
But terrain?
Compared to Alpental? Or Crustal or even Stevens? Or JH, Kirkwood, Squaw/AM, Mammoth, Telluride, Aspen Highands, Taos, Abasin?

OK, I guess it's a matter of taste.

I've been to almost all of those places. Some of them are in the are the 5%. The ones in CO? No.

Baker is shorter than most, but the quantity of quality is better than most. Steep, technical, cliff strewn terrain with complex route finding is my taste. If that's what you look for, Baker is the shit. If you are looking for wide open bowl skiing or groomers then yeah, go to Aspen.

[EWG]

This thread is cracking me up. I can’t tell if half the replies are trolls or not.

Btw- the answers are Vail, Keystone and Snowmass.

Obviously.

[whipski]

Breckinfridge,,,it is a shopping mall ski area
Vile,,,in their defense you can see the lift lines from the ISS

[TAFKALVS]

I think one can claim the snow quantities at Baker are unreal.
But terrain?
Compared to Alpental? Or Crustal or even Stevens? Or JH, Kirkwood, Squaw/AM, Mammoth, Telluride, Aspen Highands, Taos, Abasin?

OK, I guess it's a matter of taste.

100% agree with Buster here. If Baker is going off, that generally means other PNW mountains are going off as well. Baker certainly has some gnarly interesting pockets but so does alpental, crystal and Stevens with much more vertical relief. Plus Stevens and Crystal have long tree shots to ski when visibility gets bad, which Baker doesn’t.


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[Buster Highmen]

I've been to almost all of those places. Some of them are in the are the 5%. The ones in CO? No.

Baker is shorter than most, but the quantity of quality is better than most. Steep, technical, cliff strewn terrain with complex route finding is my taste. If that's what you look for, Baker is the shit. If you are looking for wide open bowl skiing or groomers then yeah, go to Aspen.

Highlands Bowl? Gold Hills? Frontside Spiral Stairs/Kantmakem, etc? Each of those has way more sustained pitch than Baker.

I'm from WA, skied here for 45 years, skied Baker a bunch, but I'll disagree about Telluride, Highlands, JH, Taos, AltaBird, Alpental, Crustal, etc.

[smartyiak]

Canyons

I would agree with this. I had more fun at P.C.M.R. on the same trip. ...not to mention you can choose anything in LCC and BCC...why go to Canyons???

This was before the merger...maybe it's better as one big thing?

[toast2266]

I found it amazing how many days we skied Blacktail in the sun while looking at the bigfish hid in a cloud bank

The clouds are kind of my favorite part. Makes the stashes harder for the gape to find.

I'm sure blacktail is nice, but I'm not into getting up at 3 a.m. just so I can make it up that fucking road in time to make first chair.

[Telemarketeer]

Highlands Bowl? Gold Hills? Frontside Spiral Stairs/Kantmakem, etc? Each of those has way more sustained pitch than Baker.

I'm from WA, skied here for 45 years, skied Baker a bunch, but I'll disagree about Telluride, Highlands, JH, Taos, AltaBird, Alpental, Crustal, etc.

Like I said, some of those are in that 5%. But nothing in CO really compares terrain wise because the snow just doesn't stick to the steep shit. And I've skied CO for 20 years. Rode Baker for 2 seasons, never made it to Alpental or Crystal but definitely need to.

[skiitsbetter]

anything out east. I saw Whitefish was mentioned, but I think has better skiing than Kimberley, Silverstar, Sun Peaks, and Big White.

[CazMan26]

In NYS -
Greek Peak

[thefortrees]

ugh...every time i go there is so foggy i get disoriented/vertigo i feel like vomiting

so foggy
so flat
so lame

should be ranked #2

Fake news!

[californiagrown]

Like I said, some of those are in that 5%. But nothing in CO really compares terrain wise because the snow just doesn't stick to the steep shit. And I've skied CO for 20 years. Rode Baker for 2 seasons, never made it to Alpental or Crystal but definitely need to.

My understanding is that Alpental is similar to Baker (vibes, terrain), its just more vert with no real flat areas or groomers... also a little smaller acreage wise. Similarly, it also has an outstanding super rad sidecountry ... that is also a little smaller than the shuksan arm. Alpental is super easy access (50 minutes from dtown seattle) where baker is still 90 minutes from Bham, and 20+ minutes from glacier.

Crystal on the other hand is a legit "mountain resort". Though, folks from the "real mountain resorts" in CO, CA, UT, etc laugh at it being called a resort. Id argue till my death it is the most underrated ski area in North America. Its has rad enough inbounds terrain (that is consistently open) to host 3* and 4* FWT qualies, has equal amounts steep open bowls and classic PNW tree skiing, averages north of 400" per year, has over 3k vert, and has one of the best, most awe-inspiring views ive ever seen from a ski resort. Hell, it even has some groomers!



The most overrated is Northstar and PCCMR. $180/day for flat, shitty terrain, low snowfall, angry yellow coats, and bad vibes. Only place ive ever actively disliked was Northstar, and i wasn't even paying for the day ticket.

[Bunion 2020]

I have enjoyed every damn day of skiing, but. Snowshoe WV.

[smartyiak]

In NYS -
Greek Peak

The questions was "overrated." I didn't realized Greek Peak was even rated.

[JerseyDave]

New England.

[glademaster]

Like I said, some of those are in that 5%. But nothing in CO really compares terrain wise because the snow just doesn't stick to the steep shit. And I've skied CO for 20 years. Rode Baker for 2 seasons, never made it to Alpental or Crystal but definitely need to.

This argument doesn't hold water when it comes to comparing in bounds terrain at ski areas. Or the backcountry for that matter. It's a matter of timing the right snow in the right ranges. Davenport and Dawson and Beidleman clearly all choose to live in the Elks because of their world class low-angle noodling.

Any ski area can seem overrated if you hit it with shitty snow or weather, and damn near any hill can be a rip roaring hoot with great snow.

[snowaddict91]

I have enjoyed every damn day of skiing, but. Snowshoe WV.

Learned to ski there/grew up skiing there. I've had fun days but it is just so rare that the conditions are actually good. Plus you'll get in trouble for skiing the trees when the snow is good.

[Norseman]

And on the flip, a mountain with great terrain and snow can seem sukkky at times with the right combination of overt marketeering, fascist ski/speed patrol, questionable terrain opening policy, and paid parking.

[jonesy]

Long lift lines, no snow, high prices and rain.

[Danno]

Btw- the answers are ... Keystone

who did the ratings, such that Keystone is overrated?

I actually think Keystone is kinda underrated. But I'm thinking "TGR rating system". Not "Gaperrific rating system".

[The AD]

who did the ratings, such that Keystone is overrated?

I actually think Keystone is kinda underrated. But I'm thinking "TGR rating system". Not "Gaperrific rating system".

I agree. I always assumed it was going to suck, but was fairly impressed when I skied there last year.

[detrusor]

(Puts on flame retardant suit)

Bridger.

It’s pretty over run on the ridge now, below mid mountain is sooooooo flat. I think it’s fun and all. Just over rated


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[bodywhomper]

Squaw and kirkwood

[old goat]

Northstar!

Nobody rates Northstar high to begin with, so it can't be overrated. OK--some people like it on storm days when other areas are shut down. I tried it one time for that reason, pointed my skis downhill--and didn't go anywhere.

Squaw and kirkwood

Squaw is way overrated if you're an intermediate. Most of them spend all day on Shirley.

[schindlerpiste]

The Can. cannot be overrated, because not too many people like it.....until they get to know it.
Personally, I love the mountain. It's hardly ever crowded, because it is difficult to maneuver. It has some of the best side-country in the country. During various times, there is always something fun to ski and it is huge. Whether you ski the groomers, woods or Murdochs on Condor, Fantasy, Dutches, Square, or East Boundary on the 9s, all that gladed niceness on Dreamcatcher and countless secret stashes, it's all good. The mountain rocks.
OTOH, PCMR is very meh